Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-04-23

The Lieutenant fell from has saddle.
me. The advance guard was about til,
same distance from me as were the Indians
but coming at walk. yelled to them a
the top of my voice:
"Gallop-charge!-fre as you comet"
They obeyed on the instant, and afte,
them came that part of the column that was
ahead of the wagons. l stood with both
revolvers ready, but eeing the force that
was at hand, the Indians pulled short up,
turned, and rode off.
My poor Lieutenant! He lay on his back
with one of their devilish arrows driven
through his breast. I knelt down beside
him and saw that he was just dying. He
motioned me to put my ear to his lips, and
his is what he said:
"The Major will tell you. o, my poor
mother!"
Brave and tender soul-true to duty and
to flal love to the last.
We halted on the spot where he died,
and remained there that day and the next.
I consulted with the Major, and we
agreed that for the present he must be
buried there. We made rude coffin, dug
his grave under stately live oak and laid
him in it. The Major read the burial
service. and had three volleys fred over
him. Peace to the ashes Of as brave SOL
der as ever wore the blue!
After the funeral the Major took me
aside, with face full of anxiety.
Il suppose, Sergeant" he said, "that
poor George told you about me?"
@No, sir; he did not. He was just about
to tell me, when he was killed"
"Well, you must know. I need not tell
m tn Zoor ~ RI Cnr1rcof II MAJ
Richmond, an army paymaster. My er-
rand up at the fort is to pay the troops
there some long arrears. In that ambu-
lance are two boxes, each Of which con-
TOMS at this moment ten thousand dol
lars. This escorts real business is to
protect that money. The death of the
Lieutenant puts the whole burden on you.
I am paymaster, and nothing else.
Though / have relative rank, never had
a command, and hardly know one end Of q
carbine from the other. But have the
utmost confidence in you, Sergeant; I know
George had, and I've watched you myself.
I know you'll do your best"
I was completely overwhelmed by this
intelligence, but managed to thank the
Major, and tell him that I had neither
parents, wife, nor child-that the military
service of the United States was my sweet
heart, and that would die before know
ingly failed in my duty.
While we remained at this camp, hard
ly slept, and at the end of the next days
march, although wearied in body, was SO
oppressed by the sense Of my great respon-
sibility that I was still unable to sleep.
Late at night, after visiting the pickets and
cautioning them to be vigilant, was doz-
ing by the fire, starting up at every noise.
when heard low voice near by.
Hist, Sergeant"
"What is it,"
"Dont speak loud; come this way-here,
by the wagon. I am Alfred West"
should explain, that ever since my con-
versation with the boy soldier on the steam
boat he had been SO prompt and ready about
his duty that he had attracted the attention
of Lieutenant Wilson, who, on my recon-
mendation, had made him acting, or, as we
say, lance corporal. As such he was at the
head Of the advance guard which charged
up SO promptly and saved me from the
Apsches at the time of the Lieutenants
death. Recognising his voice, Inow quick
~ walked over to where he stood: and
there, concealed BY the shadow Of the wag-
on, and talking in whisper, he gave me
the most startling intelligence. To repeat
04l Va Vu1 OOAfcIo6tlOu u0k0 WVuAO 0AeO4u
my story beyond all bounds; it will be sufi-
cient for me to tell the substance of it.
It appeared that the secret Of the paT-
masters treasure in the ambulance had
been discovered by some of the men on the
day We left the steamboat. Since then,
under the management of the Swede and
the Texan, plot had been formed to mu-
tiny, seize the treasure, divide it, and turn
back to the nearest settlements, where the
whole command would scatter and desert. !
The ringleaders of this conspiracy had
been very skillful and cautious in develop
ing it, and Alfred thought that all the "old
soldiers" were committed, to it. Some of
the recruits had hesitated, but had been |
overcome by threais and persuasions, and !
all had promised that at least they would |
be silent, and not obstruct the execution of |
the plot. The death of the Lieutenant had |
matters, the Swede assuring